Safety crank for automobiles



Apr. 24, 1923; 1,452,758 r G. F. RAUCH- SAFETY GRANK FOR AUTOMOBILES Filed Oct. 27 1921 nnrnnnnnn nnnnnnnn that the improved crank is instantaneously the following description. 30

Patented Apr. 24, 19213.

iastate i *raar GEORGE r. Banen. or PUKWANA, soUfr'H DAKOTA.

SAFETY CRANE ron AUTOMOBILES.'

Application filed October 27,1921. Serial No. 510,78?.

`ty-crank rfor automobiles,v andl it `has for'its principal object to devise a novel device'of this class which will overcome the possibility of the operator beinginjured in case the y engine backires, this being due lto the fact disengaged fromthe shaft asjsoovn as the shaft starts to rotate yin a reverse direction.r

.Another object ofthe invention isgto generally'improveupon cranks of thisclass by the provision of one `ofrextreme simplicity and durability which can be substitutedl for the usualtype of crank by simply cutting off a portion of said crank.

Other objects and: advantages ofthe invention will be apparent'during the course of yIn the accompanying drawing forming a part of this kspecification and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a crank constructed in accordance with this inventionn v Figure 2 is a central vertical sectional view through the hollow arm and ratchet.

Figure 3 is a sectional view, with parts in elevation taken at right angles to Fig. 2.

Figure 4f is a top planfview of Fig. 1.

y In carrying out the invention, I make use of an attaching member which is generally .y designated by the numeral l, the same including a portion 2 having a socket formedy therein into which one end of the old crank C is' designed to extend. It may be conveniently stated here that in order to apply my improved crank, I simply cutoff the downturned portion of the old hand crank and extend the remaining horizontal part of the latter into the socket and secure it tok the portion 2 inl any suitable way. Member 1 in addition toembodying this socketed por`- tion includes a stub axle?) on which a'ratchet disk 4 isrigidly secured. vThe fork-arms 5 of a hollow arm @are loosely mounted Aon the aXleS and arefpositioned onopposite sides ofthe ratchet disk ,4Q Inasmuchk as the outer end of the aXle is screw-threaded,

a nut Ziis placed thereon and serves to hold the arm 6 in place. The device in addition to rembodying the parts so far described includes'what may be vconveniently termed aretractible handfgrip Siwhich is .arranged 'at right angles to the armband is designed to be grasped in order to permit the device to be actuated in the usual way for rotating the crank shaftm At its inner end, the hand-grip is-formed with a flattened head ,9 which is p'ivot'ed between spaced ears 10 at the outer end ofthe arm. Thishead'is pivote'dto" a pawl 11 which is of considerable length. and extends slidably through the bore of roundY the pawl 11 to normally hold' the latter out of engagement with'thefratchet disk. l .n v

' In use, the hand-grip 8 is grasped inthe -rangedin the bore of the arm 6 and sur;

usualway anda slight outward push is exerted thereon to force and hold the pawl in engagement with lthe teeth yof the ratchet disk. Consequently, when the device is rotated, rotary movement will be imparted to the `crank-shaft to start the engine. In case the latter backfires, the yoperator quickly releases the hand-grip and the spring 14aU automatically disengages the pawl from the y teeth of the ratchet and the attaching mem.-

ber 1 is permitted to rotate, yet doesnot effect a movement of the arm 6. Ittherefore follows that with such an arrangement, the operator is protected against injury.

. By carefully considering the description inconnection with; the drawing, persons familiar with devices of this class will doubt-l and detailed description ofthe invention is` deemedr unnecessary.

. Since probably the best results may be obtainedwith the construction and arrangement herein shown and described, this'is taken as the preferred embodiment of the invention. However, I wish it to be understood that minor changes coming Within the v scope of the invention as claimed may be resorted to if desired.

I claim: i l. A safety crank for automobiles com'- prising a ratchet member ad-apted to bei v iixedly connected With a part of the existing crank shaft, and a hand operated crank including an arm loosely mounted around said ratchet member7 a hand grip pivotally mounted at an intermediate point thereof to said arm, and a pawl associated with said crank and cooperable with said ratchet, said pawl being pivotally connected to one freey yend oand controlled by said hand grip.

:grip pivotally mounted between said ears and having one end thereof project over the tubular arm, and a spring pressed paWl slidably arranged in the bars of said arm i andengaged with the teeth of said ratchet, said p-awl `being pivotally connected With the end of said hand grip projecting over said arm.

3. safety crank `'oi,auto1nobiles coinprising an attaching member including a portion having a socket7 also including an axle: a ratchet disk rigidly secured on said axle, a hollow arm rotatably connected with said axle, said arm being movable with b respect to said member, a paWl slidably arranged in thebore of said arm and being adapted force-operation with said ratchet, a spring associated with said pawlfor automaticallyy disengaging the latteryfrom said ratchet, and an angularly disposed handgrip pivotally connected With the outer end of said hollow arm, said hand grip being also pivotally connected with the adjacent end of said ypaivl for' imparting' sliding fl' movement to the latter.

In testimonywhereof I have hereunto set my hand.

GEORGE F. nanou.v 

